The day is associated with wealth and people will buy gold and silver jewellery and homewares on this day

How to do Dhanteras puja at home?

On Dhanteras, Hindu business owners renovate and decorate their premises, with colourful entrances and lanterns.

This is designed to welcome the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi.

People also make small footprints from rice flour and arrange them all over their house as well as keeping lamps burning through the night.

In the evening the family gather together. Tiny diyas of clay are lit as they are thought to drive away evil spirits.

A number of mantras are chanted before the ritual is started.

In English one of these mantras translates to: “(I pray to Sri Ganesha) Who has a curved trunk, large body, and who has the brilliance of a million suns, O lord, please make all my works free of obstacles, always.”

Traditional sweets are also offered to the goddess Lakshmi.

In villages, people will also adorn their cattle and farmers will worship them as they are the main source of income for the household.